What's your favorite sport climb?

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

 

Now, there's a favorite sport climb! Quite an enjoyable read, to boot.

 

Dr. Flash Amazing has been wanting to go climbing in southern France (and Spain, and parts of Italy, especially Corsica) for a long time, with the Calanques being near the top of the list. Absolutely gorgeous place! On looks alone it completely romps anything in the US, at least as far as sport crags, with the exception of some of the stuff at the Red River Gorge, which the Doctor also needs to visit. Gotta save up that money and those days off, and get the hell out of McMerica for a while ...

[plexus]

OffWhite,

 

No offense taken. I clip bolts occasionally. But I'm sure you can attest to the difference between a bolted climb and a sports climb. I've done both and the bolted climb sometimes scares me more than some trad climbs. I've also worked sports climbs. But when I get up them, I don't get the same satisfaction as I do with leading trad or climbing up a mountain. It goes with one's philosophy and one's pleasures.

 

I was just throwing some good-natured trash at DAF because he appears to have the thick skin to absorb it.

 

BTW, did you have to go to Costco to get that soap box- you know 500 bars of soap on sale for $5.99?

[Off_White]

Naw, just look around the website, there are plenty of used ones that you can recycle and climb right back on top of.

 

Yes, for me too, I think the sport climbs I've done are not the most memorable routes, and while its nice to get a route you've been working, it does feel a little like just that: work. The climbs that wind my spring the tightest seem to be long and trad, but I appreciate the smorgasbord.

[jhamaker]

>>Hey, just cuz they bolted it don't mean it's a sport-route!<<

 

Tread drift - but what is *your* definition of a sport route?

 

Can a sport rt have room/need for gear? I always see it as a challenge to see if I can find *any* gear placements on bolted sport routes.

 

Best definition I've heard is "You can't get seriously hurt on a sport climb."

 

I would paraphrase by saying "A sport route can maim but not kill."

 

These definitions assume you follow commonly accepted climbing safety practices.

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

In the Doctor's sport-climberly opinion, a sport route is protected exclusively with bolts, and could conceivably maim you, but preferably not. Safe and convenient is the name of the game, baby.

[headmasterjon_dup1]

I've clipped a few bolts on the Grand. Izat considered "rock gymnastics"

[sexual_chocolate]

"Hey, just cuz they bolted it don't mean it's a sport-route!

 

Tread drift - but what is *your* definition of a sport route?"

 

Oh, my reference was simply to the fact that Wings of Desire is a climb (albeit beautiful, gracious, and bold, with amazing positions) entirely protectable with trad gear. Now good god, how could anyone justify the bolting of that wonderful trad line? If that was at Index, would it not have been chopped ages ago?

 

A sad shame, I say....

 

But, since you asked me *my* definition of a sport climb, I would say it would be any climb that is bolt-protected in such a fashion as to make serious injury unlikely. No serious run-outs, no trad gear needed, nice anchors at the top, and perhaps Dwayner and Pope along to carry your shoes and rope, and sermonize about the great travesty you are about to commit!

 

BTW, MATT ANDERSON, great trip report. You make me drool for overseas adventures!

[sexual_chocolate]

"Hey, DFA ain't that sort of Doctor, buster!"

 

Oh my god! My bad! I just thought that with all the buggering you'd done on Dwayner and others....

 

Have you done or been on the whole 5 Easy Pieces? It looks to be quite a proud line and seems like it'd make a fun outing, despite rumors of it being a drill-fest (just imagine, a 5.13(?) at Smith with chipped holds ).

 

NO! I want to.... Looks super-good. Franklin originally called it 12c? No one could do it or somesuch, so now 13a on the 4th pitch?

 

I also forgot to mention Vanishing Point on the north face of Baring. Really not a sport route, cuz two or three pitches need gear, but damn close. Tennish pitches, consistently consistent, great location, great rock, and way exposed (scary!) yet safe. A must-do!

[Drederek]

i think Manly Wham is the best sport climb i have done in Washington cuz i luv sandstone flakes. Teetering on the brink or magic carpet ride in squamish. Resolution arete in nevada (2 bolts, one not necessary) the freeblast in cali cuz thats all ive done there

[plexus]

My definition of a sports climb is anything Retrosaurus wants to put a crowbar to !!

[Uncle_Tricky]

"Sport climbs" are climbs bolted with the intention of eliminating the danger of long falls.

 

"Sporting climbs" is my name for sparsely bolted climbs (no gear necessary) where a fall is a serious thing that would result in a loooooooong ride. Most slabs and older lead-bolted climbs fall into this category.

 

[ 08-24-2002, 08:48 PM: Message edited by: Uncle Tricky ]

[allison]

I've tried to have this conversation with people, this whole "what is a sport climb and what is not a sport climb" and have come to a measured conclusion:

 

There are climbs that have bolts on them bottom to top, there are climbs that are mixed lines, with bolts where sections are not protectable, and there are lines that have no bolts. Maybe even no bolts at the top. Whether it's "trad" or "sport", well, it's impossible to define, and it doesn't matter one whit anyway, unless maybe you are a trad climber trying to rise above riff-raff sportos, whoever they may be, and then, well, of course it's still ridiculous!!

 

And now a little from the California's own Redd Kross....

[Crack]

dana's arch(p.1) -Index

prince of darkness -Red Rocks

the .12a arete climb just to the left of th "sweet and sticky" arete, can't remember the name -Little Si

anything up at the killer bob area -Exit 38

i normally hate slab climbing, but silent runnings was a blast, great new addition with the 7th pitch -Darrington

and how about the pitch coming out of the monkey's face mouth? good value for brief bolt clipping -Smith Rocks

cryin' time again -Tuolomne Meadows

barrata, barrata and just about everything else over in southern Thailand

 

[ 08-25-2002, 09:36 AM: Message edited by: Crack ]

[Cairns]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dr Flash Amazing:

OK, the good Doctor is wondering, for those of you to whom the question applies, what your favorite sport route or routes is or are.

---

Location: Heart of Darkness on the Squaw at Squamish

 

Looks: Permanent Waves at Squamish

 

Looks harder than it is: Poster Boy, Murrin Park

 

Harder than it looked: Anxiety, trail down from the Squaw

 

Felt like I did something (on TR): the one left of Chromatic Suspension, Rogues Gallery?

 

Multi-pitch: the new one on Goat Wall, Mazama

 

Could someone please install one on El Cap?

[Guest]

Fight Gravity in Jura and Save the Pushers at Horn Lake

 

[ 08-25-2002, 10:04 AM: Message edited by: climbmachine ]

[Peter_Puget]

fifth force at index for the NW. I orget the name bu t those routes on el;ephant rock in Yosemite.

[erik]

maw two fav sporto routes would be:

 

Zoom @ Index....certainly you need a couple peices of gear, but it starts with bolts and it sporty!!!!

 

and

 

Dreamer @ D-town (finally did it yesterday) Good stuff...Cetainly you need a couple peices of gear, but it starts with bolts and is kinda sporty!

 

Then there is one down at smiff woks, but I forget the name of it.!

[Cpt.Caveman]

Zoom is too hard for me to do without falling but it's good. Wham would be good if I could get both feet off the deck and into that thing Too much beer gut-

[Dru]

i recenntly did a route in cheakamus canyon that is almost all bolted but i was careful to leave a mandatory #4 camalot placement unbolted just to piss off the sport climbers

[fredrogers]

Jazzy Document, 5.9, Duty Dome in Leavenworth (it's the one on the cover of the guidebook).

[sexual_chocolate]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman:

Zoom is too hard for me to do without falling but it's good. Wham would be good if I could get both feet off the deck and into that thing

Too much beer gut-

---

If you ever do get both feet off the ground, Wham is awesome. Makes ya think.

[Peter_Puget]

Speaking of Index why aren't the sport climbs there more popular. I did First Offense not long ago and it was fun plus those on the Blues cliff are good too. Don't say they are all dirty because some are clean except for the cob webs! By the way Racer X is a fun sport climb too.

[Cpt.Caveman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dru:

i recenntly did a route in cheakamus canyon that is almost all bolted but i was careful to leave a mandatory #4 camalot placement unbolted just to piss off the sport climbers

---

[erik]

petah- i agree with you the sport routes at index tend to be pretty good....though all most all of them are harder then me!!! racer x is great though that damn first pitch of confetti for some reason always stumps me and it is bolted awesome(cant cheat through!

 

i wish i could crank at the blues cliff, but again...................

[TimL]

Index has a lot of fun, hard sport climbs around the Clay area. Friendly Fire and Engines of Archimedes are both really good.

 

2nd pitch of Kite Flying Blind has to be one of the hardest pitches for its grade that I've ever climbed but its ****. Phone Calls fron the Dead to the right of GM is really good. Bring small nuts to protect the section where the bolts run out.